Unexpected Surprises
by clemsongirl26
Summary: Mac Taylor discovers he has a daughter. A grown daughter who is also a CSI and who captures the attention of Danny Messer. My first fanfic!
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is my first stab at writing a fanfic. Please leave reviews (constructive criticism is welcome!). CSI Miami/CSI NY crossover, kinda. This is going to be a Danny/OFC with some definite Mac/Stella going on! Enjoy!

**Unexpected Surprises**

The ringing of a phone woke Mac Taylor from a fitful sleep. The phone continued to ring as he lay in bed wondering who would be calling at 8:00 on his first Saturday off in over a month. Getting up, he went into the kitchen where he remembered leaving his phone the night before. On the caller id screen was the name Horatio Caine.

"Hello?" Mac answered wondering if Horatio had a case that needed his help.

"Mac, hi. It's Horatio. Look, I know it's Saturday morning, but I've got an urgent matter here that needs your attention."

"What's up?" Mac replied.

"Well, one of my new CSI's has been kidnapped. Her mother is here on vacation and said that I needed to contact you." Horatio explained.

"Ok. What's your CSI's name? Where is she from?" Mac questioned trying to figure out why this woman's mother would be requesting him.

"Sarah Collins. She's from North Carolina originally. She's been on the job for about 6 months. The guy broke into her apartment last night. Knocked the mother out and took Sarah. He called one of my other CSI's, Delko, early this morning demanding a ransom of one million dollars."

"Wow. This doesn't sound random. Why would the mother want me if she is from North Carolina?" asked Mac still trying to make a connection.

"Well," Horatio began, "she says that she knew you when you were in the Marines and that you should get here soon. Mac," Horatio paused trying to find the best way to put this, "the mother's name is Rachel Collins and she says that you are Sarah's father."

Mac stood in stunned silence as he let the words sink in. He remembered Rachel. He had loved Rachel in his own way, but that way did not include anything other than the three months they spent together in the summer of 1983. He had a daughter. He couldn't believe it.

"Horatio, I'll be in Miami by 3:00. Keep me updated." Click. He had to pack.

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Danny wondered why Mac had asked him to accompany him to Miami. Mac had been silent the entire ride to the airport. Now as they sat watching some dopey movie on the airplane Danny couldn't help but think that something was really wrong. He thought at first that they were going to Miami to help investigate a case that was linked to New York, but now he had his doubts.

"Hey, Mac. Is everything alright with ya? I've never seen you this quiet." Danny asked.

"What? Oh, Danny, sorry about that. I've just got a lot on my mind right now. Look, I should probably tell you before we get there. This case that we're going to help with is a personal matter. That's all I can tell you right now." Mac explained.

"Ok. I understand personal, but why did you need me to come with you?"

"Well, I needed to make it look like I was going down there to investigate a connecting case. Danny, as soon as I know what I'm dealing with I'll send you right back to New York, ok?"

"Mac, you don't have to do that. I'll be there for whatever you need me to do." Danny answered sincerely. Mac had done so much to help him out. Now Danny felt like this was his chance to help Mac.

"Thanks, Danny. We'll see what the next few hours hold for us." Mac said as he turned his head to gaze out the window. He just hoped that Horatio was closer to finding Sarah…

**Meanwhile in Miami.**

"H, we've got a match on that blood we found in Sarah's kitchen. It's not Sarah's and it's not Rachel's. We got a hit on CODIS. The guy's name is Alan Schultz. He's working for a plumbing business here, but he's got priors for aggravated assault and stalking." Eric Delko explained to his boss. Ever since he got the call from Sarah's kidnapper this morning, he'd been like a dog with a bone trying to find out whatever he could. Sarah was like a little sister to him and knowing that some sick creep had her and was doing God-knows-what to her made him physically ill.

"Thanks, Eric. Don't worry. We're going to get her back." Horatio sensed the uneasiness in Eric. He wanted to do his best to keep him calm and focused. Horatio knew the connection that Eric and Sarah had. It was the same connection he had with Calleigh. He just hoped they weren't too late to save Sarah's life.

"Horatio?" Ryan Wolfe poked his head in the door.

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe."

"There's a Mac Taylor and Danny Messer here from New York,"

"Thanks, Mr. Wolfe. Please see them in,"

Ryan ushered Mac and Danny into the interrogation room that Horatio and Eric were occupying.

"Horatio, tell me you've got something." Mac stated as he walked through the door.

"Mac, we've got a lead on a guy. Found his blood in Sarah's apartment. Eric and I are going to check out his place. I'd feel best if you stayed here. You may want to talk to Rachel. She's been worried sick and I can't seem to offer her any comfort." Horatio explained.

"I understand. Would it be alright if Danny went along with you? I need to talk to Rachel alone."

"Sure. Let's go Mr. Messer." Horatio directed as Eric and Danny walked out of the room. "Don't worry, Mac. I'm going to get her back."

"I know you are, Horatio. Thanks."

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Rachel Collins couldn't believe her luck. She had come to Miami to spend a couple of weeks with her daughter and now her daughter had been kidnapped. Talk about bad timing. As she stared out the window of the Miami-Dade crime lab, she couldn't help but remember all the little things about Sarah that she loved so much. Sarah's smile that could always make her smile. Her ingenious way of knowing when something was wrong. The way she tilted her head to the right when she was watching a movie or studying. Her daughter was the most beautiful and special person in Rachel's life. Guilt slowly crept into Rachel's mind. She had kept this beautiful, talented child from Mac for 23 years. She was not proud of herself. Mac and Sarah should have had the chance to get to know each other. She just hoped that they would still have that chance now.

"Rachel?" That voice. She could never forget that voice. Slowly she turned around. He was still the most handsome man she'd ever seen.

"Rachel? Are you ok?" Mac asked as he moved closer to her. She still looked as beautiful as ever. Twenty-five years hadn't changed her that much.

"Mac, yes. I'm fine, I guess. I just wish Sarah was here." Rachel sobbed. She'd tried so hard not to cry. Amazing how seeing Mac could do that to her.

"Shh. It will be ok. Horatio is going to do everything in his power to get her back. She'll be here before we know it." Mac soothed. Just then, his phone rang. The caller id said Danny Messer.

"Danny, talk to me."

"Mac, we've got her. We're heading to the hospital. You guys should meet us there." Danny explained with a strain in his voice.

"Thanks, Danny. We'll meet you guys there." Mac said as he hung up.

"Rachel, they found her."

**Author's note: Hope you like! It turned out a little different than I thought, but I like it. Let me know what you think!**

**Thanks to InOvrMyHead4Life for being my first reviewer!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Two weeks later…

Sarah Elizabeth Collins sat on the warm Miami Beach and thought about how much her life had changed over the past two weeks. After being kidnapped, she had been rescued by her co-workers and friends. They had taken good care of her and made sure they caught the sick freak who took her. Her mom had been acting a little on the odd side since she came home from the hospital. With a few bruised ribs and a mild concussion, she had to stay for three days before she was released. Ever since she came home, her mother was acting like a typical worried parent, but Sarah's CSI training taught her that something else was up. She knew that a Detective Mac Taylor from New York City had been down to help with her kidnapping, but whenever Sarah asked her mom or Horatio about him they kept quiet. She'd finally had enough of the silence so she called Eric and told him she needed to see him ASAP.

"Sarah, you ok?" Eric asked as he sat down next to her on the beach.

"Yeah, I guess so. Eric, what do you know about Mac Taylor?" Sarah asked while staring at Eric's profile.

While staring out at the ocean, Eric thought of what to say to his best friend. He knew he couldn't lie to her because she could see right through him. "Well, Mac came here because Horatio asked him to. Your mom told Horatio that she needed Mac to be here. There's something you should know, Sarah, but I'm not the one to tell you. You need to talk to your mom. She's the only one who can honestly answer your questions."

"Eric, I have this strange feeling that Mac Taylor is someone from my mom's past. Did you see the way he held her at the hospital? I know that Horatio would have done the same thing, but this was different. It looked personal."

"Sarah, please just talk to your mom. She's the only one who can tell you what you need to hear. I wish I could tell you, but I think that you and I both know that it's not my place." Eric said while brushing a stray hair out of Sarah's face. At that moment Eric's pager sounded. It was from Horatio.

_Eric, 911. Memorial Hospital. Now. Bring Sarah._

"Sarah, we've got to go." Eric said as he got up. He and Sarah ran to Eric's car. Neither one of them said a word. They both had a feeling they weren't going to like what they found at the hospital.

_At the hospital…_

Horatio Caine rarely was at a loss for words. He couldn't believe this could happen. Sarah's kidnapper had escaped during a prison transfer. Now Rachel was dead. How was he going to explain to Sarah that her mother was gone?

**Author's note: Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! Hope you like it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own CSI Miami or CSI NY nor any of the characters on the shows. I do own Sarah and Rachel.

**Author's note: **YEA! Here comes the Danny/Sarah action.

New York City, the city that never sleeps. Mac Taylor completely understood this statement. As he stood in the doorway of his guest room watching his daughter sleep, he couldn't help but think that this city never slept itself. Sarah had been here for nearly three weeks. Slowly, they had been getting to know one another. The first week that she was here all she did was sleep. He was worried that he may have to have her medicated, but after the first week she seemed to come alive. She began eating meals with him, taking walks with him in Central Park, and she even went to movie with Stella. It broke his heart to see her in so much pain. For twenty-three years, it had been Sarah and Rachel. Now it was just Sarah, but Mac was determined to let Sarah know that he was here for her and he was going to everything in his power to be her father.

"Mac?" Sarah questioned as she noticed him standing in her doorway.

"Hey, kiddo. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up," he apologized as he walked further into the room. He spent the last week trying to make himself touch her. He felt that if he could touch her, then she would seem more real to him. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The dreams are coming less often. Why did he have to kill her, Mac? Why didn't he wait until I came home?" Sarah asked with tears in her eyes. She was sitting up in the bed with her arms around her knees.

"I don't know, sweetie. Maybe she was the target after all. We can't pretend to try to understand guys like these. This guy clearly had a fascination with you and your mom was part of that. But I swear to you, Sarah, I will not rest until that bastard is in jail. He will pay for what he's done to you and your mom. I promise you that." Mac said as he sat on the bed next to Sarah. He slowly put his hand to her knee.

"Thanks, Mac," she said with tears streaming down her face.

_Two days later…in the NYPD crime lab_

"Ok, Sarah. Are you sure you're ready for this?" Mac asked as they paused at the entrance to the lab.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've already met Stella and Danny. Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine, Mac. Promise," Sarah stated with that infamous Taylor determination in her eyes.

"Yo, Mac. What's takin so long? You're gonna scare her off if you don't let her in soon," Danny yelled from the reception desk.

"Alright, kiddo. Let's go," Mac said as he opened the door for Sarah.

"Hey there, beautiful. You look a lot better than you did a few weeks ago. I'm really sorry about your mom, kiddo," Danny said as he walked next to Sarah.

"Thanks, Danny. I appreciate that. It's good to be here away from all the memories. Maybe I can finally piece my life back together," Sarah stated.

"Hey, this is the best place to get over your past. Believe me. If you need anything, kiddo, just let me know. I know a thing or two about trying to get over your past," Danny explained as he walked through the doors to the locker room.

"Mac, can I talk to you for a second?" Sarah asked as she peeked her head into Mac's office.

"Sure, Sarah. What do you need?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me about Lindsay. I've been hearing a lot about her and I feel a little out of the loop because no one here really wants to talk about her," Sarah explained as she took a seat.

"Lindsay was a great CSI we had here. She moved to NYC from Montana. While she was here, she became very close to Danny. About six months ago, Lindsay went back to Montana to testify for a case from her past. Lindsay decided to stay in Montana. Danny's been different ever since. I think he's still hoping for her to come back."

"Oh, I'm sorry. That has to be hard for all of you. Thanks for filling me in. It explains a few cryptic messages I got from Danny. Anyways, I'm going to head back up to trace to see if my samples are done. I'll see you later?" she asked while opening the door.

"You bet. You're doing a great job, by the way. Everyone has been complimenting your work ethic and smarts. I'm proud of you, Sarah."

"Thanks, Mac. I'll see you later."

"Kiddo, you okay over there?" Danny asked Sarah a few days later as they processed a double murder crime scene at a bar.

"Yeah, Danny. I'm good. Just trying to figure out why someone would want to kill a bartender and bouncer after the money had been put into the safe. Surely this person knew that there was no way either one of the vics had access to the safe after the boss left, right?"

"Who knows? Maybe this was personal. I mean a shot to the chest. That's not you're average kill. The bouncer was shot in the head. Close range. Seems personal to me."

"Yeah, we'll see. Let's get a move on so we can get these two to the morgue," Sarah stated as she began dusting the countertop for finger prints.

"Yes, ma'am. You're my kind of girl, Miss Sarah. All business. Just like your dad," Danny said with a wink.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's chapter 5! Hope you like it! Please continue to review! I love reviews!!**

"Danny, have you noticed that there is this white substance on both the bartender and the bouncer?" Sarah asked as she looked up from the microscope.

"Yeah, I saw that too. You run it through trace yet?"

"On my way. I'll let you know when I get something," Sarah said as she pushed through the lab door. Once in Trace, she sat down to watch the lab tech, Grace, work. A few minutes later, Grace had the results. When Sarah saw the results, a huge smiled spread across her face. They just found their first big break in the case.

"Thanks, Grace! I'll see you tonight for dinner and a movie, right?" Sarah questioned at the door.

"You bet! Oh, I heard Danny was coming along. How'd you manage to get him to agree to go? He normally doesn't do the girly thing."

"Danny's going? Last time I asked he said he would have to think about it. When did you hear this?"

"Well, I overheard Mac and Danny talking in the locker room this morning. Mac said that Stella had invited him and he wanted to go so he could spend time with her and with you. That's when Danny said that he wouldn't mind going with you." Grace said with a knowing smile on her face. "I think Detective Messer has a thing for you, Ms. Collins."

"No way! Danny is just a friend. Besides he's not over Lindsay. I think it will be a while before he gets over that. But anyway, I don't think he'd be interested in me. He told me the other day that I remind him of Lindsay. I'm sure Lindsay was great and I would have loved to have known her, but I won't be her replacement."

_Later that night…_

Sarah, Grace, and Stella all came out of the locker room at the same time. "SARAH COLLINS! You did not lead him on like that?!" Stella exclaimed.

"I couldn't help it! He's too cute! Don't you dare feel sorry for him. Eric Delko can handle it." Sarah joked.

"Poor guy. He must have thought there was something wrong with him." Grace giggled.

"Nah, he got over it in record time. Besides there was nothing there between us. We are just friends. Eric thinks of me as a little sister."

"Well, hello there, ladies! Aren't we looking mighty fine tonight?" Detective Don Flack asked as he walked out of the locker room.

"Why thank you, Detective. We were just on our way out. Waiting on Danny and Mac."

"Yeah, I know. Mac said to tell you that they will be here in few minutes. I'm supposed to keep you company."

"Why?" asked Grace.

"Well, I'm going with you and I didn't feel like waiting while Mac gave Danny another pep talk."

"He's going?" Grace whispered to Sarah.

"Yep. I asked. He said yes. Why can't more guys be that forward?" Sarah whispered back.

"Ok, you can stop talking about me, Collins." Danny said as he and Mac walked out of the locker room.

"Ha! That's classic, Messer. Why on earth would I be talking about you? Ego problem?" Sarah chuckled. Mac, Stella, Grace, and Flack all burst out in laughter.

"She's got you there, Danny." Mac said.

"Yeah, well she loves me. She just doesn't know it yet." Danny said under his breath as he followed the group to the parking garage.

**Author's note: Hope you liked it! It was more of a fluff chapter. There will be definitely be more Danny/Sarah going on in the next chapter. Beware! Rachel's killer will be making an appearance soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: One of Sarah's Miami friends comes to visit! Hope you like! Please review! It makes me very happy to get reviews!**

_Three Days Later…_

"Sarah, you have a phone call?" Mac said as he knocked on her bedroom door.

"Thanks, Mac. I'll pick it up in here."

After hearing Sarah pick up, Mac turned off the cordless phone in his hand and headed back to the kitchen. He really wished that he could spend more time with Sarah. He sees here at work everyday, but it's difficult for him to work on a case with her because he doesn't want people to think he's showing favoritism. As a matter of fact, he's been really tough on her lately. Always double checking her work. Following up behind her to make sure she's followed all procedures. It's pissing her off and he knows it, but he wants to be sure that she is doing the best job possible. Outside of work, Sarah has been spending a lot of time with Stella and Danny. Mac knows it's a good thing that she is getting to know Stella more because soon Stella will be a bigger part of Sarah's life. Secretly about two months ago, Mac asked Stella to marry him. After everything happened with Sarah in Miami, he and Stella decided to take it easy until Sarah had a chance to adjust. Mac is beginning to think that Sarah will never be able to accept him as her father.

"Mac?"

Shaken from his thoughts, Mac turned at the sound of his daughter's voice. "Sarah. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. Um, do you think it would be ok if we had a visitor for a few days?" Sarah asked without making eye contact.

"Who is this visitor you're talking about?"

"Well, he's a friend of mine from Miami. You may remember him. Eric Delko."

"Ah, yes. Mr. Delko. Why is he coming to New York?"

"A few months before I was kidnapped, Eric was shot in the head and leg. Ever since, he's had a difficult time readjusting to work. The brain damage he received was minimal, but it did affect his performance. He just needs a break for a few days."

"I don't see a problem with that, but you might want to explain this little visit to Danny. He's become quite attached to you, you know." Mac said with a smile on his face.

"Are you kidding me? Danny treats me like a child. He always calls me "kiddo" and he's always picking on me. There is no way that Danny Messer is attached to me." Sarah said with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Whatever you say. I just know what I see. Be careful with him, Sarah. After Lindsay left, Danny wasn't the same guy. It was like a part of him was missing. But in the past few months, he's changed. That's been since you came into the picture. He really does care about you."

_The next day…_

"So, I just couldn't take all the sympathetic looks and people having to cover up my mistakes all the time. Horatio suggested a vacation. I thought that New York would be a good place to go to just get my mind off everything. Besides you're here." Eric explained as he and Sarah sat at diner booth.

"Well, I'm glad that you are here. I've really missed you." Sarah said sliding her hand across the table to rest on Eric's.

"What? These New Yorkers are enough for you?" Eric chuckled.

"Ha! It's definitely different here. I do miss Miami. It's so beautiful there."

"Miami misses you, Miss Collins. Believe me."

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. CSI Collins, are you slackin' on the job?" drawled a New York accent.

"Danny! Hi! Come meet Eric. Eric Delko. Danny Messer. Danny Messer. Eric Delko. I worked with Eric in Miami." Sarah explained as the two men shook hands.

"Nice to meet you, Eric. I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to borrow Sarah here to help out on a case."

"No problem. I really need to get some rest anyway." Eric said as they got up to pay the bill.

"Here's the key and the address to the apartment. I'll see you in a few hours, Eric." Sarah said as she and Danny walked out to the vehicle.

"So, kiddo, how close are you and this Delko guy?" Danny asked as he peered over the top of his microscope.

Sarah couldn't help but think how cute he looked with his glasses pushed up on top of his head. He really must not realize how amazing he really is, she thought. These thoughts of Danny had been creeping into Sarah's mind for weeks now. They've been coming more often and they've been more intense.

"Collins, you ok?"

"Yeah, sorry. Eric is like an older brother. He's always been there for me no matter what. Now it's my turn to be there for him. End of story. Why do you ask? You jealous, Messer?"

"Yeah, right. Keep dreamin', Collins." Danny smirked.

_Later that night…_

As Eric and Sarah sat in Mac's apartment watching "American Idol", they heard a noise at the front door. Thinking it was the pizza guy, Sarah got up to answer the door.

"I've got dibs on the first slice of cheese!" Eric yelled as Sarah walked toward the door.

"No way, Delko! You know that cheese is my absolu…" Sarah stopped as she saw who was at the door. There stood Alan Schultz. This was the asshole that had kidnapped her and killed her mother.

"Hello there, Sarah. Aren't you going to let me in?" he sneered at her.

"Eric!" Sarah screamed as Schultz shoved her into the apartment. Eric ran into the hallway and saw the man responsible for Sarah's kidnapping and her mother's death. Schultz had Sarah shoved up against the wall with a hand around her throat.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Eric demanded as he inched closer to them.

Sarah struggled wildly against Schultz. She knew that if she couldn't get control of the situation, then things were going to get a lot worse. She had to get his hand away from her throat before he caused her to black out. She couldn't let this asshole do this to her again. As she fought him, images of Mac and Danny kept flashing through her mind. Regret hit her hard in the stomach. She hadn't really given Mac a chance at all. He was her father and she had done nothing but push him away. And why? All because she was afraid that he may not really love or want to love her. All of her life she had wanted a father and now she had one. Another image of Danny and his great smile flashed through her mind as Schultz dug his fist harder into her throat. She was never going to get the chance to tell Danny how she really felt about him. She would never know the feeling that his look could give her. She would never know the taste of his kiss or the feel of his hands on her body. She would never be able to know what it was like to be loved by Danny Messer…

God help her.

**What do you think? **

**I need a few ideas on where to go from here!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Ok, this one gets intense! Please forgive me! REVIEWS ARE GREAT!**

As Sarah was struggling to stay conscious, Eric had begun to attack Schultz. He grabbed Schultz by the back of the neck and around the waist to try to pry him off of Sarah. Schultz suddenly spun around and starting fighting Eric. Sarah collapsed to the floor in a fit of coughs. She tried to get to her feet to help Eric, but she couldn't move. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Eric seemed to have the upper hand, but Schultz pulled out a knife and stabbed Eric in the abdomen. Sarah watched in horror as her best friend sank to his knees with blood pouring from his midsection.

"Eric!" Sarah croaked out.

"Shut up, you little bitch! I'm going to kill you. Do you hear me? You're not going to see the light of another day, but before I get to that we need to have a little chat." Schultz said as he dragged Sarah to the living room. Throwing her roughly onto the couch, he began pacing.

"You know your mother was not supposed to die. I loved your mother. You were supposed to be my daughter. Fucking Mac Taylor had to go and screw that up. We were stationed together at Camp Lejeune. He was my CO. Stupid prick. He could have had any woman he wanted, but he went after mine. Your mom was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You look so much like her. I thought about keeping you for myself, but I realized when I kidnapped you that I couldn't do that because you have his eyes. I can't stand to look into your eyes because every time I do I see him."

Sarah listened with tears in her eyes as he continued his crazy rambling. Her main focus was on Eric. She could hear his gasping breaths from the foyer. She just hoped that he was able to hang in there long enough for her to get help. She had to do something fast. Slowly moving around on the couch, she was able to wriggle her cell phone out of her back pocket. With the phone behind her back, she dialed 911 and turned down the volume. Hopefully the dispatcher would trace the call and they would notify Mac.

"Why couldn't you have been my daughter? I never would have left you like he did. It's been hard on you, hasn't it? Trying to get to know him as your father? I've seen you with him. You don't know what to do and neither does he. I bet that if your mother hadn't died, then he wouldn't have had anything to do with you. Mac Taylor is too selfish to be a father." Schultz proclaimed as he sat down next to Sarah.

"What are you going to do with me?" Sarah asked frightfully. She was trying to stay in control. Her instincts as a cop were telling to her to remain calm, but the woman in her wanted to scream and yell for help.

"Well, we're going to wait here for Daddy. Then I'm going to kill you both."


	8. Chapter 8

**Woohoo! Two chapters in one day! If you want more, please review! **

**Thanks, InOvrMyHead for the suggestions! I adore your reviews!**

**Happy reading!**

About twenty minutes later, Mac Taylor arrived at his apartment. He had gotten a call from Flack saying that Sarah had dialed 911 from her cell phone and that the call was traced to his apartment. He'd been trying to call her for the last twenty minutes. His heart stopped when he heard the tape recording of the call in the car on the way to the apartment. His daughter was being held hostage by a madman who could kill her at any minute. Never before had his fatherly instincts been this strong. He actually had an ache deep in his chest that he knew would not go away until he saw Sarah.

"Sarah?! It's me, Dad." Mac said through the door.

"Ah, Detective Taylor. Come in. We've been waiting on you." Alan Schultz answered through the door.

Mac slowly opened the door. He immediately saw Eric lying in a pool of blood just inside the door. As he leaned down to check for a pulse, Schultz came into view. Eric had a weak pulse so Mac straightened to his full height to confront Schultz.

"This man is going to die if he doesn't get to a hospital now. Please let me get one of the officers outside to call for an ambulance." Mac said.

"Fine. It's best if it's just you, me, and Sarah anyway. You've got five minutes to get him out of here before I kill him."

Mac immediately called Flack and requested an ambulance. Luckily, there was one only a block away. Within five minutes, they were able to get Eric onto a stretcher and out of the apartment. During this time, Mac still had not seen Sarah.

"Good work, Taylor. You are very efficient as always. Come on into the living room so we can talk." Schultz said as he headed to the living room.

Once in the living room, Mac saw Sarah sitting on the sofa. Her mouth and hands were duck taped. She had tears streaming down her face. Before he could stop himself, he went to her side and began removing the bindings.

"That's enough, Mac. She's fine the way she is. We have a lot to talk about. Since you took what belonged to me all those years ago, I'm going to take what belongs to you now. You are going to watch her die and then I'm going to kill you. You finally know what it's like to lose the one that you love more than life itself. I've never had a child, but I've heard that it's the worst kind of pain. Something like that hollows you out. Are you ready to feel that, Mac?" Schultz said as he pulled out the knife he had used to stab Eric.

Suddenly, Sarah barreled up from the couch and rammed into Schultz's stomach head first. The force of her movements was enough to knock him over. Sarah rolled quickly to the right and Mac stepped in to restrain Schultz. In the struggle, Schultz tried to ram the knife into Mac's stomach, but at the last minute Mac's arm blocked the swing. Mac grabbed Schultz's wrist and turned the knife on him. As they continued to struggle, Schultz tried to move into a sitting position, but Mac's weight was too much for him. The knife penetrated his chest. He slumped back to the floor. Within seconds, he was dead.

Mac quickly turned his attention to Sarah. She was trying to work the duck tape off her hands. He helped her with her dilemma. After a few short moments of hasty work, they had all the duck tape off. Sarah suddenly launched herself into Mac's arms. Mac held her and whispered encouragingly into her ear.

"You're okay now. I've got you. No one is going to hurt you. He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore. Shhh. Shhh. I've got you." Tears had started to form in Mac's eyes at the sound of his daughter's sobs. She had just had to relive all of the trauma she had been through in the past few months. He still couldn't believe how close he had been to losing her.

"Dad? Is Eric ok?" Sarah mumbled against his shirt. Mac's heart skipped a beat. She called him Dad. He couldn't believe it!

"They took him to Mercy. We should go. Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. I'd really like to check on Eric. Thank you for being here." Sarah said as she looked into her father's eyes. For the first time since meeting Mac, she finally felt like she had a father.

When they arrived at the hospital, Eric was still in surgery. While they waited, Mac called Horatio to let him know what was going on. Stella was sitting with Sarah. She had arrived about twenty minutes ago. As Mac ended the call with Horatio, Danny came bustling through the doors.

"Sarah! Are you ok?" Danny questioned as he drew Sarah into his arms. Watching them together, Mac and Stella shared a secret smile. It wouldn't be long before these two realized their true feelings for each other.

"Danny, I'm ok. Really. I'm glad you're here though. I've got something I need to tell you." Sarah whispered.

"What is it, baby? You can tell me anything, you know that." Danny said as he pushed a stray hair out of her face. His hands came up to cup her face.

Looking into his eyes, Sarah opened her mouth to speak. "Danny, I lo…" Sarah stopped as she saw the doctor standing in the doorway. The look he had on his face was the same one she used when she was about to tell someone that a loved one was dead.

"Detective Taylor, I'm sorry, but Mr. Delko did not make it through the surgery. He lost too much blood. We did everything we could. I'm very sorry." The doctor said as he turned to leave the room.

Sarah's knees went weak and Danny caught her before she could fall. Tears streamed down her face as she looked into the faces of Danny, Stella, and her dad. "It's all my fault" she whispered as she slowly sank to the floor in Danny's arms.

**Please review!!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: This is my first time writing a story with this much depressing, emotional incidents. Please review to let me know how it's going! **

As Mac stood in the doorway to Sarah's room, he couldn't help but think of another time not that long ago when he had stood in the same place and watched his daughter sleep. It had taken a doctor-prescribed tranquilizer to get her to fall asleep. She had cried until she made herself sick. Mac didn't remember her being this upset when her mother died, but then again she had been in shock. Now everything was finally sinking in and she was struggling with it all. Horatio would be coming the next day to take care of Eric's body. For the first time since his wife had died, Mac felt utterly helpless. He had no clue how to help Sarah or what to say to her.

"Hey, are you ok?" Stella whispered into his ear. Mac turned around and put his arm around her.

"I don't know. I wish I knew what to do or say to make her feel better." Mac sighed.

"I know. But you know what? Just you being here is all that she needs right now. She needs to be around people who love her and she needs to feel loved. We're going to give her that together, Mac." Stella said lovingly.

"I have no idea what I would do without you. You have been so amazing through all this. Have I told you lately just how much I love you?" Mac said as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I love you too, Mac. Come on. Let's get some rest. She'll be fine."

Mac gazed longingly at his daughter once more. Love and protectiveness filled his heart as he looked at her. Sarah and Stella were now his main reason for living and he would do anything to ensure that they were both happy and safe.

The next day Mac and Danny picked up Horatio from airport. The ride back to Mac's apartment was quiet. All three men were thinking of the previous day's events. Horatio knew in detail from Mac what had happened. He still could not believe that Eric was gone. Eric had been like a son to him for so long. Now he was gone. Another person in his life was gone.

Danny wanted to get back to the apartment so he could be with Sarah. He had seen her for a few minutes earlier this morning. She had looked so pale and lost. God, he wished he could take her in his arms and shelter her from all the bad things in the world. He knows that she's a cop just like him, but his personal feelings for her are those from a man who loves a woman. This man will do whatever it takes to keep this woman from hurting. All of these feelings inside of him were so foreign and different from anything else he had ever felt. Love. Love. Love. That word kept repeating over and over in his head. Did he love Sarah? Of course he did. When he had heard about Schultz breaking into Mac's apartment, intense hatred and the desire to kill had taken over his body. He knew he could be emotional, but it was never like this. Just thinking that Sarah could be hurt or dying had made him sick to his stomach. He knew that he would kill anyone who ever tried to hurt her.

Mac drove in silence thinking about the difficult task that his daughter was about to face. She was going to have to face Horatio, who she considered a father-type figure. He wasn't sure how she would handle it, but he knew that his Sarah was a trooper. She could overcome anything. He just hoped that she didn't give into the sadness and that she fought her way out it. And he would be right there to help. Mac Taylor was officially a father.


	10. Chapter 10

Sarah sat on the oversized couch in Mac's apartment looking out at the New York view. Stella had tried to get her to go back to sleep, but Sarah couldn't do that right now. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Eric's lifeless body laying in the hallway. Her heart ached. Right now all she wanted was to see Danny.

A few minutes later Danny, Mac, and Horatio walked into the apartment. Horatio immediately came to Sarah's side. As he looked down at her, he saw tears in her eyes. Sarah had always been one of his most sensitive CSIs, but that's what made her so special. She could sympathize well with the victims and their families. This made her work harder to find the truth. Now, this strong, sweet woman, who had been like a daughter to him, was broken. He could see it in her posture, her coloring, and her eyes. As he put his arm around her shoulders, she turned to look at him for the first time. Upon seeing him, she burst into tears and leaned into him.

Sarah's heart broke when she saw the look in Horatio's eyes. She had seen this look several times when she was working with him. Horatio Caine was tough, but he was also sensitive. This was killing him. Eric had been like his son. Sarah knew that this would be one of the hardest things Horatio would ever go through. Thinking she should probably snap out of her own emotional turmoil, she looked up at Horatio.

"Are you ok, H?"

"I will be, Sarah. I will be." Horatio crooned to her.

"I've missed you. I wish we could be meeting under different circumstances." Sarah murmured.

"Me too, but you know what? Eric would not want us to spend all of our time mourning him. He loved you so much, Sarah. When he decided to come to New York all he talked about was seeing you again. He was so worried about you when you first moved here. He refused to work with Ryan for weeks because he thought you might come back." Horatio chuckled.

Sarah laughed. Just then, Danny came into her line of sight. He had this odd look on his face. She had never seen that look on his face.

"Danny, you ok?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. How you holdin' up?" he asked as he sat down in an arm chair across from her.

"I'm better now that you guys are here. When I'm alone there's too much to think about."

"I understand that. I know it may not seem like it now, but it will get better." Danny said. Sarah knew by the look on his face that he was thinking about his brother Louie. He rarely mentioned Louie, but he did understand what she was going through.

"Sarah, we need to book a flight to Miami for the funeral." Mac stated as he walked into the room with his laptop. "Horatio said that his parents have scheduled the funeral for the day after tomorrow. Do you want to leave today or tomorrow?"

"Could we leave today? I'd like to get down there so I can see everyone before the funeral." Sarah said standing up. "I'm going to pack." As Sarah started down the hallway, Danny got up to follow her.

"Danny? You ok?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, Mac. Thanks. I'm going to see if she needs any help."

As he walked away, Mac and Horatio shared a look. They both knew that Sarah was perfectly capable of packing her own things. Danny just needed to be close to her to make sure she was ok. They both knew that feeling. Mac felt that way about Stella and Horatio had felt that way about Marisol.

_Meanwhile in Sarah's room…_

Danny sat at Sarah's computer desk and watched her work. She had made a list of all the things she needed to pack. Now she was going through her room pulling out clothes and shoes.

"I'm going to have to go shopping. I don't have a black dress. Can you believe that? Out of all these clothes, I don't have a black dress." Sarah said while she neatly folded her clothes into the suitcase.

"Hey, that's fine. You and Stella will just go shopping when you get there. I'm sure you'll find something great." Danny said with a wink.

**Author's note: I really hated killing off Delko too! He's my favorite character from the Miami show.**

**-Thanks for the reviews! Please continue to do so!**

**-So, I need advice! Do I let Danny go to Miami with Sarah or do I let him wait on her to get back? What do you think?**


	11. Chapter 11

The flight to Miami was filled with an eerie silence. It's like the people on the plane knew that something was amiss with some of the passengers. Sarah sat between Mac and Stella. They had both encouraged her to sleep, but Sarah just couldn't. So, she spent her time on the plane attempting to watch a movie and read a new book.

Both Mac and Stella had drifted off to sleep beside her. While Mac was asleep, Sarah decided to take a moment to really look at her father. In the past two days, she had felt more like his daughter than in the past few months. She did look like him, even though she favored her mom more. She had his eyes, just like Schultz had said. Every time she looked into his eyes, she saw her own. Her personality was also similar to his. They were both hard-working, dedicated people who loved hard. They enjoyed some of the same things. Sarah's mom had always thought it was odd that she had such a love for football. Sarah now understood why. She and Mac had watched several games together and they both got so into game that they amazed each other.

Just as Sarah was reminiscing about her time with her father, Mac's eyes opened. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Mac slowly smiled at her. Without thinking, Sarah leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. Mac's heart soared. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and went back to sleep.

_The day before Eric's funeral….Miami_

Members of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab had gathered together at a local restaurant. Sarah, Mac, and Stella had been invited to join them. They spent the time talking about their favorite memories of Eric. It had been extremely helpful for most of them.

Now as they were all getting ready to head back to their respective houses, Calleigh stopped Sarah.

"Hey, you! So Stella tells me that you need to go shopping? Feel like some company?"

"Sure, Calleigh. Just let me grab Stella and we'll go." Sarah said. A few minutes later, they were in Calleigh's car heading towards the nearest shopping mall. It didn't take long for Sarah to find a dress. She ended up getting a knee-length, strapless dress. She had found a short, black jacket to wear over the dress as well. Within an hour, Calleigh had dropped Sarah and Stella off at the hotel.

A few hours later, Mac and Stella were both in the bed. Sarah sat at the table in her room staring out at the ocean. Impulsively, she got up and grabbed her purse. At the reception desk, she called for a cab. Twenty minutes later the cab pulled up in front of Eric's apartment building. Sarah used her spare key to unlock the door. For a few minutes she roamed around the apartment looking at Eric's belongings. It was still so unbelievable that this beautiful, amazing man was dead. Still roaming, she went into his bedroom. Just needing to feel close to him, Sarah curled up on his bed. The tears started almost immediately. Sobbing quietly, she cried herself to sleep.

_The next morning_

Mac paced the hotel lobby waiting on Horatio to arrive. He had found out that Sarah had come down around three in the morning and ordered a cab. Horatio was talking to the cab company to see if he could find out where she had gone.

Stella was trying furiously to get in touch with Sarah. She'd been calling her phone for the last two hours. All kinds of horrible scenarios were running through her mind. At this thought, she paused. If she was thinking these things, she couldn't imagine what Mac was thinking. Quickly, she walked over to him and placed her arm around him.

"We'll find her." She whispered.

_Meanwhile…at Eric's…_

Soft sunlight drifted through the curtains. The sleeping woman on the bed slowly began to stir. Sleepily, she pushed a stray hair out of her face. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Then it hit her. She was in Eric's bed. Suddenly Sarah realized that she needed to stop trying to fight this sadness on her own. She needed help. Not able to find her phone anywhere, she grabbed Eric's phone and dialed the familiar number.

"'ello?" answered a sleepy New York accent.

"Danny?" Sarah whispered.

"Sarah? Is that you? Where are you?" Danny asked sitting up in bed on full alert. Something in her voice wasn't right.

"I'm at Eric's house. I had to come here last night. Danny, I can't do this anymore. I can't keep trying to deal with this on my own. Help me, please."

"Oh, Sarah. You hang tight, ok? I'll be there on the next flight. Hang in there, ok?" Danny said while hurriedly throwing close into a bag.

"Hurry, Danny, please." Sarah said as she hung up the phone.


	12. Chapter 12

By the time noon had rolled around, Mac was borderline hysterical. The normally calm and collected man was a worried, upset father. Even though his daughter was an adult, he still was concerned for her. Stella was still trying to get Sarah on the phone when Danny called her.

"Oh, thank God! So, you're on your way down here? That's good. She's at Eric's house? Thanks, Danny. We'll go get her. See you soon. Bye." Stella said as she turned to look at Mac.

"Horatio, where is Eric's house?" Mac asked.

"It's not too far. Let's go." Horatio replied.

About fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of Eric's apartment. Horatio led the way. Mac was the one to knock on the door. He asked Stella and Horatio to give him some space.

"Sarah, sweetie? It's Dad. Are you in there?"

From the other side of the door, Mac could hear shuffling. He felt a slight push against the door. Sarah must have been leaning against it on the other side.

"Dad? How did you find me?" her muffled voice asked.

"Well, Danny called Stella to let her know that he was on his way down here. He told her that you had called from Eric's house. Sarah, I know you're an adult, but you really should have left a note or something. We've been worried sick about you all morning long. Unimaginable scenarios have been running through mind. I kept envisioning you dead on the side of the road or locked in some psycho's basement."

"I'm sorry. I know I should have left a note and the other Sarah would have thought to do that, but I'm not that Sarah right now. I don't know if I'll ever be again."

"Will you please let me in? I need to see you so I can know for sure that you're ok." Mac pleaded.

Slowly the door opened. The woman standing on the other side of the door was definitely not his Sarah. She looked exhausted and pale. Her hair and clothes were a mess. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her cheeks were devoid of color and her lips looked parched. Mac knew that his daughter was going through a very serious depression right now and he needed to do something fast to help her come out of it.

"Sarah, you will be that other Sarah again. I know that you have been through more than any person should have to go through, but you need to realize that you are still alive and that Eric and your mother would want you to be happy. They wouldn't want you to be this way."

"I know. I keep telling myself that, but I can't come out of this Mac. It's too soon. I need to find my way to grieve. I don't think I really grieved my mom like I should have. I tried to put on a front for everyone to let them think that I was handling it just fine."

"There is nothing wrong with grieving, honey. It's a natural part of dealing with death. One thing is for sure though, you need to let us help you. Cry, scream, yell, fight, and do whatever it is that you have to do. Just let us help you. You don't have to do this alone. Danny, Stella, Horatio, and I are all here for you."

"I know, Dad. Thank you for being so amazing through all this. For someone who claims to have no paternal instincts, I would say that you are doing very well."

"Thanks, honey. You bring that out in me so I can't take all the credit. Come on, let's go back to the hotel and get you freshened up. Danny's plane is supposed to land in an hour."

"Ok. I'm glad he's coming. I don't know what it is about him, but he has this way of making me feel better. Does that make sense to you?"

"Yeah, it does. That's how Stella makes me feel."

"Really? But you guys are in love? Danny and I aren't in love." Sarah said as she and Mac made their way down the stairs.

"Oh really? I beg to differ. I've seen the way you look at each other. That's love, Sarah. Danny Messer is not an emotional person by a long shot. He's always got to be the strong, silent one, but when he's around you he's different. You really bring out his protective side and you make him smile, which is something he hasn't done in a while. You're good for each other."

"I think so too. I just don't know if he's in love with me." Sarah said. They had made it to Horatio's car. Stella and Horatio were waiting inside. They traveled back to the hotel in silence. Once there, Sarah went to her room and took a shower. By the time she was finished, it was time to head to the airport. They arrived just as Danny's plane was landing. Within fifteen minutes, Danny was coming through the terminal. He spotted Sarah first and quickly made his way to her. Wrapping her in his arms, he held her until he heard Mac clear his throat.

"Maybe we should head back to the hotel now." Mac suggested.

"Good to see you, Mac." Danny said while grabbing Sarah's hand. They made their way to Horatio's car. Once inside, Sarah snuggled up against Danny's side.

"You ok?" he whispered.

"Right now, I'm the best I've been in days. Thanks for coming, Danny. I can't imagine doing this without you." Sarah admitted.

"I'm just glad I can be here. Don't ever be afraid to ask for my help, Sarah. I'll always be here for you no matter what. Don't forget that." Danny said as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews!!! Here's the next chap!**

**Ok, poll time. So, I'm thinking that it's about that time to have some hot and heavy love going on with Danny and Sarah. What do you think?**

Sarah wasn't sure what had woken her, but it was enough to make her look around the room. She tried to close her eyes, but that didn't work. She turned over. That didn't work either. Sitting up, she looked around her room. Everything was tucked away neatly. Her desk was bare except for her laptop and a few pictures. The pictures were hard to make out in the dark, but she knew them by heart. One was the picture of her and Eric at the beach in Miami. Another was of her mom when she was pregnant with Sarah. There was another picture of grandparents. The newest picture was of Sarah and Mac. It had been taken two days before. She and Mac had joined Stella for a picnic in Central Park. Stella had decided that father and daughter needed a picture together. They posed under a tree, against a tree, on a bench, and on a picnic blanket. Stella had brought a framed picture for her to work the next day. This was the picture where she and Mac were sitting under the tree. They were sitting next to each other. He had his arm around her shoulders and she was leaning into him.

Sarah couldn't help but smile. She finally had the father she had always dreamed of since she was a little girl. In the months following Eric's death, Sarah had relied a lot on Mac, Stella, and Danny. Everyone else at work had been great as well.

One night about a week before something quite unexpected happened. Sarah and Danny had decided to catch a movie one night after work. Neither one of them had to work the next day, so they could stay out a little later. After the movie, they decided to head to Danny's place to watch the Knicks' game. Sarah had not realized how tired she was until she woke up almost three hours later on Danny's couch. She was stretched out with her feet resting in Danny's lap. She looked at Danny to see if he was awake, but alas he wasn't. His body was turned slightly as if he tried to stretch out too. He had a hand wrapped possessively around her calves. The other hand was cushioning his head against the arm of the sofa. Sarah had started to get up when Danny's eyes snapped open.

"Where you goin?" he slurred.

"I've gotta get home. It's late." Sarah said while looking for her shoes.

"Let me get mine. I'll drive you home."

"Danny, you're exhausted. I'll call a cab."

"No way. I'm going to drive you home. Let's go," he said while holding open the front door.

"You're stubborn, you know that?" Sarah smiled as she said this.

"Sure do, little one, but you love me anyway." Danny winked at her.

"Ha! You wish, Messer." Sarah teased. Suddenly Danny became very still and quiet.

"What if I do wish? Would that be a problem?" Danny asked quietly.

Sarah was stunned. Had she just heard him right? Did he just ask her if she loved him?

"Danny…" she began.

"Forget, Sarah. I shouldn't have said anything," he said as they got in the car. Sarah was too stunned to speak. After Danny climbed in and began the trek to her home, she looked over at him. He had that look on his face again. It was like the one he had had at her home when Horatio had come to get Eric. _What does that look mean?_ she thought. All of a sudden, it hit her. She'd seen her dad give Stella that look. Mac always gave Stella that look when he wanted to tell her loved her. Sarah whipped her head around to look at Danny.

"Pull over, Danny."

"What? Why? Are you ok?" he asked hurriedly.

"Just pull over!" she shouted. Danny pulled to the curb. Sarah unfastened her seat belt and reached across the cab of the truck. She pulled Danny's head down to hers and kissed him. Stunned, Danny could nothing at first. She had moved so fast. After a few seconds his brain registered that Sarah Collins was finally kissing him. He decided it would be best to kiss her back. The kiss started out as an exploration, but quickly turned into a passionate, hot kiss. Within seconds, they were both breathing heavily. Danny pulled Sarah across the console and into his lap. With little effort, she fitted herself on across him. Kissing turned into touching. Touching turned into rubbing and before either one of them knew what was happening, they were naked from the waist up. Just as Sarah reached for his belt, her phone rang. Groaning she dropped her head to his. Resting forehead to forehead, Danny softly rubbed her back. Sarah reached across the console to grab her phone from her purse in the passenger's seat. The caller i.d. read _Mac_. Opening the phone, she put her index finger to her mouth.

"Hello?"

"Sarah, I just got in and you weren't here. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok," Mac said in that distinct fatherly tone.

"I'm ok, Dad. I'm actually on my way home now. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes." Sarah replied as she moved back to her seat. Danny grabbed his shirt from the dash and hers from the backseat. Sarah hung up with Mac and turned an apologetic look on Danny.

"I'm so sorry. I guess that kinda kills the mood, huh?" she asked.

"Just a little. Sarah, what just happened. What did it mean?" Danny asked while straightening his glasses.

"Danny, I think it means that we both have some serious feelings for each other. I think we should explore these feelings. I don't know about you, but I've been feeling this way for quite a while now." Sarah answered honestly.

"How long?"

"Well, since I moved here I guess. I've always felt this connection with you, but I don't think I realized it until you came to Miami. In my darkest hour, you were the only person I wanted to see or talk to. You were the only one I felt completely comfortable with."

"Oh, Sarah. I feel the same way. Let's try this exploration thing. It sounds like fun especially if there's going to be more explorations like what happened tonight." Danny grinned as he started the engine again.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: Thanks for the marvelous feedback! Here's a little teaser for you until I can get the love scene just right!**

A few nights later, Danny had taken Sarah to a nice Italian restaurant that served the best lasagna. The dinner was fabulous, but Sarah was slightly distracted. All through the dinner she kept watching Danny's mouth move whenever he would take a bite or talk. How could a man's mouth be so sexy? Never in her life had she seen a man with a mouth like his. Danny noticed her distractedness and wondered what could be causing it. When they were driving back to her house after dinner, he quickly discovered Sarah's problem.

"Danny, I don't want to go home just yet." Sarah said staring straight ahead.

"Umm…ok. Where would you like to go?" he asked.

"Your place." All rational thought fled Danny's mind when he heard these two words. Did she know what she was asking of him? Suddenly, visions of the two them naked, sweaty, and moaning flooded his mind. He could see Sarah arching up to meet his thrusts and him licking away the sweat that would form between her breasts. He shifted in his seat trying to alleviate the tightness in his pants.

"Did you hear me?" she said as she turned to look at him. Danny slid his gaze over to her. She looked very serious.

"Yeah, I heard you. Why do you want to go to my place, Sarah?"

"I want to know what it's like to make love with you." Sarah stated simply. Danny had never seen her look so sure. He thought about asking her if she was sure, but he knew by the look on her face that Sarah Collins had made up her mind.

"Alright," he said. "We'll go to my place. On one condition though."

"What's that?" she asked.

"You have to stay the whole night. I want to wake up holding you in my arms."

"You, Mr. Messer, have a deal." Sarah replied with a grin.

**Author's Note: Had to through this one in here! It seemed like a great way to lead up to the big bang that will occur in the next chapter. I'll be posting it tomorrow by the way! I'd love some more reviews to give me a little more motivation!!**

**Thanks to my reviewers! You inspire me so much!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So sorry this is late!!! My computer has been on the fritz lately, but I think I've gotten it fixed. Here you go!**

**PS-This gets a little graphic. If anything sexual offends you, please don't read!**

Amazingly, Danny and Sarah managed to keep their hands off each other in the elevator, but when Danny unlocked the door to his apartment and ushered Sarah in, things changed. He pushed Sarah up against the door. Growling, he took her mouth with his. Long, slow moans erupted from both of them. Sarah slid her hands up his back and onto his shoulders, while Danny began to viciously tear at her clothing. Within minutes, they were both naked and stumbling towards his room. Once in the room, Danny stopped to turn on the lamp.

"Danny…" Sarah panted.

"I want to look at you. Do you know how long I've dreamed of you like this?" he asked as he traced his finger across one breast. Sarah trembled with lust. She used this opportunity to look her fill too. Danny was perfect. Not too big, not too little. Just right. He had a defined chest and abdomen. There was light dusting of hair across his chest that tapered down his abdomen to his manhood. Sarah sucked in a breath when she saw this. He was beautiful. Of course he was only the second man she had ever seen naked, but he far surpassed her expectations.

Danny couldn't believe his eyes. This woman was beauty in its purest form. Her body was shapely and curvy. Her skin was milky white and smooth. Her breasts were a little more than a handful, which he liked. Her hips were round and voluptuous. She was perfect. Angling her back over the bed, he dipped down on top of her. They both stayed there for a moment just savoring the feel of each other's body. Finally, Danny moved to take one of her nipples into his mouth. Sarah's back arched off the bed and she moaned loudly. Danny continued his ministrations in a few minutes and moved to the other nipple. Sarah's hands raked up and down his back. Grabbing his butt, she squeezed tightly. This caused Danny to groan against her. Sarah could feel his erection pressing into her thigh. She moved her leg up the outside of his and rubbed sensuously. Danny lost all train of thought at this movement. He slide Sarah farther up the bed, grabbed a condom from the bedside table, and slipped it on. Positioning himself above Sarah, he slowly entered her body. Sarah tensed for a minute, but slowly began to relaxing as Danny moved inside of her. Once he was buried full hilt inside of her, he leaned down to kiss her.

"Open your eyes, baby," he crooned. "I want to see you when I make love to you."

Sarah opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat. Love. She saw love in his eyes. Moving slowly at first, Danny gave her time to adjust to him. Within a few minutes, his pace picked up and they were both moaning and groaning heavily. Danny's tempo increased as he felt her velvety walls contracting around his manhood. Suddenly, Sarah arched her back drastically and cried out as she came. Danny was mesmerized by this. Within seconds, he followed her into oblivion.

_The next morning_

Sarah felt her internal clock began to tick. She knew it was time to get up, but she felt so deliciously warm that she didn't want to move. She could feel Danny pressed up behind her. They had stayed like this since earlier in the morning when they woke up to another round of love making. Three times throughout the night, they have made love. After the first time, they both dozed for a while and then Danny pulled Sarah on top of him and it began again. Then they dozed again, until Sarah woke up and started her own exploration of Danny's body. There was not a single inch of skin that they had not kissed, caressed, or seen the night before.

"Mmm…" Danny rumbled in her ear. "You're beautiful."

"You're not so bad yourself," she said as she rolled over to look at him. Their lips met in a searing kiss. As things started to progress, Danny's phone went off. Groaning as he sat up in bed, he reached for the phone. Stifling a curse, he answered.

"Yes, Mac?'

"Danny, is Sarah with you?"

"Yes, she is. Do you need to speak with her?" Danny said as Sarah slid her head under the covers.

"No, I just need you both on a case right away. Central Park. Be there in 30 minutes." Click.

"Well, Miss Sarah, I believe that your father knows." Danny giggled as he pulled the covers down.

"Oh man, this is not how I planned on him finding out."

"Well, not much we can do about that now. Duty calls, sexy. We've got to run." Danny said as he headed towards the shower. "I'll be right out and then it's all yours."

Snuggling back in the bed, Sarah smiled as she thought about the night before. She couldn't wait to get off work so they could have a repeat performance.

**Author's note: What do you think?** **Please review!**


	16. Epilogue

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! They are so inspiring and keep me motivated! **

**I've decided that this is going to be the last chapter of _Unexpected Surprise_. It's been wonderful writing this story and getting to know all of you. I have an idea for a new story, so be on the look out for it! **

**Enjoy!**

_A few months later…_

Members of the NYC Crime Lab were seated around a large table at a local restaurant. Sarah could not help but feel a sense of home when she was around these people. Here they were all celebrating the recent marriage of Mac Taylor, her father, and Stella Bonasera. Sarah was unbelievably happy that her father had found happiness with Stella. She loved Stella with all of her heart and was glad to have her as her step-mother.

Looking around the table, Sarah saw the faces of her colleagues and friends. Sid and Hawkes were arguing over a recent autopsy. Sarah laughed as she saw the look of sheer determination on Hawkes's face. She enjoyed spending time with both of these men because they taught her so much about everything.

Then there was Don Flack. Don had become one of Sarah's close friends. He was always there to have her back when they were investigating a scene. He also had been there to help her understand Danny quite a few times too. Watching Don, she felt a slight pang in her heart because he reminded her so much of Eric. She knew that Eric would have liked Don and maybe that was why she felt such a kinship with him.

Next, her gaze moved to Stella. With her exquisite beauty and spectacular mind, she was truly a force to be reckoned with. Stella was fiercely loyal to Mac and Sarah. They had become her family, and she had stood up for Sarah quite a few times when she and Danny were arguing. Stella was truly like her mother now. Smiling softly, Sarah thought of her mother and how happy she would be to know that Sarah had finally gotten to know her father.

Looking at her father, Sarah felt a peace come over her. This man would lay down his life for her, and she would do the same for him in a heartbeat. Their relationship has grown so much over the past year. She even called him "Dad" now, except when they were at work. Her heart swelled with love for her dad. Mac had been very excepting of her relationship with Danny, and when she and Danny were having those little problems that every relationship has, Mac had actually been the one to help her see Danny's point of view. He truly was a remarkable man who loved deeply and unconditionally.

Finally, she looked at the man seated next to her. Danny had his arm slung across the back of her chair, and he was running his hand lightly up and down her arm. When they made eye contact, he winked at her. She smiled back and continued to watch him as he talked to Don about last night Yankee's game. Danny was the love of her life. He had been there for her through thick and thin. Their love was passionate, deep, explosive, and calm all at the same time. When she looked at him, she felt wonder, beauty, and excitement.

"Ok, everybody. I need to borrow Miss Sarah here for a moment. We will be right back." Danny announced as he stood up and took Sarah's hand. Following him, they walked up the stairs at the back of the restaurant. Danny led to her a door that opened to the rooftop. They stepped through the door and Sarah stood there in shock. There were lights strung along the edge of the rooftop. The lights cast a soft glow on the air. There were pink roses scattered all over. Danny turned to face Sarah. Slowly, he got down on one knee.

"Sarah, you are the most beautiful person I know. Your inner beauty is just as amazing as your outer beauty. When I'm with you, I feel like I could do anything. You make me feel important, loved, and happy. I've never know what it feels like to love someone. Now I know. You are my soul mate. You are the one that I am meant to spend the rest of my life with. I want to spend everyday loving you. I want to have children with you. I want to grow old with you. Will you marry me?" Danny proposed with tears in his eyes.

Sarah stood there in shock. Slowly, Danny's words began to sink in. He wanted to marry her! Looking into his eyes, she whispered, "Yes."

Danny stood up and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed her sweetly until they heard clapping from the doorway. There stood the whole crew, smiling and clapping. Stella was wiping away tears. Don, Sid, and Hawkes were clapping and grinning like fools. Mac stood there smiling at his daughter. He was glad that she and Danny were together. Now he would have a son as well.

Suddenly, Sarah pulled back from Danny's embrace.

"Where is my ring?" she asked.

Laughing, Danny pulled the ring out of jacket pocket. He opened the box and pulled out the most beautiful ring Sarah had ever seen. He slipped in on her finger and pulled her in for another kiss.

Finally, all that had been lost in Sarah's life was restored. She was whole again. She had a family and she was going to marry the man of her dreams. Life didn't get any better than this.

**Thanks so much for your reviews! Let me know what you think of this ending! Keep checking back for my new story!**


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